Locals turn out for People’s Convoy

    Thousands upon thousands of Americans from all walks of life, political beliefs, vaccinated and unvaccinated gathered at overpasses, highways and byways across America this past week to cheer on The People’s Convoy of trucks, cars and pickups as they made their way to Washington D.C. in an effort to end the Emergency Powers Act for Coronavirus, including all mandates.
    The convoys eventually merged and arrived in D.C. on Sunday.
    One leg of the convoy started in Oregon and ended up traveling through Nebraska on I-80.
    After entering Nebraska, the Oregon convoy stayed the night last Thursday in Big Springs, where they were welcomed with a rally of approximately 50 people, according to Patti Barnt from Mullen, who served as the western regional lead for The People’s Convoy (TPC)-Nebraska.
    Tammy McConnell of Lewellen was the local contact for the Big Springs rally, Barnt said. Approximately 40 trucks and cars spent the night at Big Springs and were provided a meal of hamburgers, Rocky Mountain Oysters, beans and salads. Donations were also loaded in Big Springs onto the convoy’s supply trailer.
    The Midwest Freedom Convoy departed Big Springs Friday morning.
    Another cheering crowd, which included Imperial and Grant residents, was found in North Platte where the convoy had a slow roll across the overpass to pick up more supplies.
    According to Scott Miller of Grant, he and his family were out supporting the convoy during the day because he sees how America’s freedoms are being slowly taken away each day, and he feels that more people need to stand up and fight for what America was originally founded for— life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
    Barnt said people were at every rest area, in fields and every overpass along with interstate except two, all cheering and honking for the convoy.
    Another rally was held at Bosselman’s Truck Stop in Grand Island, where the supply trailer was completely filled. All the leftover donations were taken to area homeless and women’s shelters, Barnt said.
    Barnt was thankful for everyone who helped with the Nebraska efforts during the organization leading up to the convoy.
    She stated she got involved with helping the efforts because she believes the vaccine mandates are destroying rural healthcare and rural communities, especially nursing homes
    “Several nursing homes in the state closed last year and more this year,” she said. “One of the facilities closing is Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home in Mullen, where my mother, Peggy, is a resident.”
    Barnt said her mother turns 89 years old this month and Barnt will be moving her for the third time in three years.
    “One of the main reasons we were given for the facility closure is a nationwide staff shortage primarily from the vaccine mandates. We are standing up not only for our children and future generations, but for our elderly who are being forced to leave their communities. Not only does this harm the residents and their families, but the closings also harm the rural communities,” she said.
    Barnt said Americans are increasingly frustrated, and its time to remind the politicians in our state and in DC they work for the people.
    The Nebraska Convoy stopped in Des Moines, Iowa for the night, where it met up with other legs of the convoy that traveled on I-70 and I-90  along with truckers from a northern tier that started in Minot, North Dakota on Saturday and Spiceland, Indiana on Sunday.
    They then merged with another convoy group and traveled the rest of the way to the Beltway area near D.C., Barnt said.
    Reports from the official American Freedom Convoy on Sunday stated the convoy was over 15 miles long, Barnt said.
    People can keep up with news of the Nebraska efforts on the channel The People’s Convoy-Nebraska in the Telegram app or on Facebook at The People’s Convoy.